This actually sounded like a "normal" thread... (http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002969394)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 01:41 PM
NNN0LHI

I was talking to a couple of local farmers today about this drought. Old timers

Last edited Wed Jul 18, 2012, 01:47 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1) (http://www.conservativeunderground.com/?com=thread&address=1002969394&info=1#edits)
They both said the same thing.

They said drive down the highway and you will notice one field of corn looks fine. But the next field has turned to crap. I had already noticed that and asked them why that was.

Then they explained why that is. They said anyone who prepped their field properly with plenty of nitrogen and fertilized correctly are having no problem because the plants were strong enough to develop a good enough root system to grow deep enough to find the water, and keep itself healthy.

But the farmers who tried to do the field prep on the cheap are finished. They said a lot of farmers had gotten away with doing it on the cheap in the past. But not this year. They said some of these farmers who tried to do it the cheap way may lose everything they own over that decision.

That is what they both said and agreed on.

Conclusion: Just goes to show you sometimes cheap isn't better. Might have gotten away with it in the past but one of these days, like now, you are going to pay a price for that. Might be a heavy price? Might be a heavy enough price to cause you to lose your farm over? Might be a price you aren't prepared to pay? Sometimes you win. Other times you lose everything over that decision.

Something to think about.

Don

Sounds good, don't cheap out and do things right.

But of course, it's DU...

Response to randome (Reply #2)
Wed Jul 18, 2012, 02:04 PM

Zalatix

12. That would mean a reduction in the food supply because of fewer farmers.

The solution is for the government to step in with subsidies, and a requirement that it be spent on implementing PROPER fertilization techniques.

Yes that sounds unattractive, mainly to right wingers, but the alternative is big hits to America's overall food supply during hard times. Trust me, you don't want that, you want that even less than you want more subsidies.

"For once, focus your bloodlust on Republicans --instead of the DLC/Firebaggers/ANYONE WITHOUT AN (R)" - kpete

This fool quotes kpete...

Zeus

07-18-2012, 08:26 PM

Corn and Rice are two of the most heavily subsidized crops in the USA.

Retread

07-18-2012, 11:19 PM

How to grow more and better corn? Eliminate the ethanol fiasco.

As a side effect, the price of fuel will go down.

noonwitch

07-19-2012, 10:03 AM

Well, it's pouring down rain here today for the first time in weeks, so maybe there's hope for the areas west of the Great Lakes, too.

TVDOC

07-19-2012, 11:35 AM

DUmmies discussing farming is analogous to people afflicted with Downs Syndrome discussing orbital mechanics.......I don't know a single farmer (at least around here) that cuts corners on field prep and fertilizer. Variations in the appearance of fields is far more likely to be the result of the timing of the planting and the variety of seed used.

Two words for the DUmmies to figure out regarding the drought: Crop Insurance

Prices of commodities will likely rise, but the wise farmer will do OK in the short run......

doc

AmPat

07-19-2012, 11:52 AM

This actually sounded like a "normal" thread... (http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002969394)

Sounds good, don't cheap out and do things right.

But of course, it's DU...

This fool quotes kpete...They actually suggested "subsidies." These fools are one-trick-wonders. Subsidize everything and that will fix it. How are subsidies going to "fix" burned up corn? The grains MUST have water to produce. After that, the plant may look good but little to NO grain will be produced.

Liberals have got to be the DUmbest fools ever to walk this earth.

Zeus

07-19-2012, 11:54 AM

DUmmies discussing farming is analogous to people afflicted with Downs Syndrome discussing orbital mechanics.......I don't know a single farmer (at least around here) that cuts corners on field prep and fertilizer. Variations in the appearance of fields is far more likely to be the result of the timing of the planting and the variety of seed used.

Two words for the DUmmies to figure out regarding the drought: Crop Insurance

Prices of commodities will likely rise, but the wise farmer will do OK in the short run......

doc

The thing about Crop insurance , unless it's been changed over the years, is it's based on county averages. That means the people with low yield acreages make out like bandits and the folks with high yield acreage take a hit. Naturally they forego the costs of harvesting so that diminishes any loss.

Wibbins

07-19-2012, 11:56 AM

Funny that libs want the government to tell farmers what to do, because bureaucrats know more about each plot of farm land than the farmer that's worked it all his life.

Need I remind the dummies that North Korea has government regulated/enforced farming and majority of the citizens are starving to death daily? The regime controls the food, if you don't praise the regime you don't get food, the regime stays in power and does whatever the hell it wants. Notice how the kim's are rather obese when the rest of the citizens are sacks of bone?

FlaGator

07-19-2012, 11:59 AM

The solution is for the government to step in with subsidies, and a requirement that it be spent on implementing PROPER fertilization techniques.

Actually the solution is for the government to stay out of it and let the farmers loose everything until they figure out that it is financially safer to do it right to begin with.

Teetop

07-19-2012, 01:08 PM

One of my close friends has been farming his whole life. It depends of where this DUmmie lives. Around here, farmers grow a lot of corn, and cotton. My friend has about 2,800 acres of corn right now. They irrigate around here. So, if the DUmmie lives in the drought area north of us, that would explain why some fields look like crap. I don't know one farmer around here who "cuts corners". Even at this moment, the center pivot irrigation systems are delivering "hot" fertilizer to the plants to get the fastest growth and highest yields they can achieve. If corn crop looks like crap around here, it's due to not having enough water to irrigate, like last summer was due to the high heat.

Madisonian

07-19-2012, 01:21 PM

The DUmmies also do not state (or know) that due to "the horrors" of things like genetic modification, some seeds are more resistant to things like drought and pests than others.
So it may be that Farmer A used a different seed supplier than Farmer B and that is why his crops are doing better than his neighbor's crops are doing.